Police focus on mountain area in Balamban to find killers of brgy councilor

An incumbent barangay councilor who is running to be village chief died after he was shot by a riding-in-tandem along the road in Prenza, Balamban, Cebu on Thursday, October 5,2023. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The manhunt operation against the two men, who are believed to be the killers of a barangay councilor in Balamban town, continues as police focus on a mountainous area in the town where the suspects are believed to have hidden.

“Padayon jud atoang kapulisan sa pagpangita kato sa duha ka suspect nga ingon pa didto, naa pa sa area sa kabukiran,” said Police Colonel Percival R. Zorrilla, director of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO),

(Police continue to look for the two suspects who are believed to be in a mountainous area there.)

READ: Balamban shooting: Police after riding in tandem behind killing of barangay councilor

Gunmen identified

Zorilla was referring to the motorcycle-riding gunman and his cohort — the motorcycle driver, who shot dead Barangay Councilor Anastacio Pacquiao on October 5, 2023 in Barangay Prenza, Balamban town.

He said that the names of the suspects were known through the statement of a witness and one of the victim’s children who knew their identities. 

Zorrilla said that they would also be looking into whether the alleged suspects were ordered to execute the shooting. 

READ: Balamban mayor: No need to put town in ‘Areas of Concern’ for coming polls

Personal grudge

Pacquiao, the victim, was running for barangay captain of Barangay Cansomoroy of the town in the coming elections, when he was killed.

However, Zorrilla said that they were looking at personal grudge as the possible motive in the fatal shooting of 60-year-old Pacquiao.

“Atong gisusi og maayo nga naay nigawas nga katong personal grudge. Isa sa atong gitutokan gyud,” he said.

(We checked information about a personal grudge against the victim. That is one of the things that we are really focusing on.)

READ: Ex-convict shot dead in Mambaling, police after person of interest

How barangay councilor was killed

The victim, Pacquiao, was shot dead by a motorcycle-riding gunman on Barangay Prenza while Pacquiao was driving his motorcycle on the way to Barangay Poblacion of the town on Thursday afternoon of October 5, 2023.

The alleged gunman, who was the backrider, shot Pacquiao once on the head and immediately fled the scene after. 

Pacquiao did not make it alive to the hospital. 

Zorilla also said that murder charges were being readied against the suspects while the manhunt operation was ongoing.

READ: Comelec places 242 barangays under ‘red category’ for 2023 BSKE

Areas of concern

Meanwhile, Zorilla said that the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30, that the deliberation was still ongoing on whether Barangay Cansomoroy would be placed under the Commission on Election (Comelec) areas of concern.

“Ang atoang election-related incidents validation commitee, padayon sa deliberation kung ma-identify ba nato kanang lugara, ang kanang nahitabo, is election-related,” he said.

(Our election-related incidents validation committee, continue their deliberation if they can identify the area, where this happened, is election-related.) 

READ: PNP ready for BSKE, says no postponement of polls in any areas 

Double time for cops

To ensure the peace and order in the province, Zorrilla said that he had instructed police personnel to determine areas where candidates would be receiving threats and to intensify all efforts to prevent any crimes.

“Mag double-time jud ang atong kapulisan para sa crime prevention particularly this coming election,” he said.

(Police should do double time for crime prevention particularly this coming election.)